Black withdraws from federal race
By Bill Rea
Mayor Margaret Black would rather serve in King than in Ottawa.

Black, who was nominated in August to be the federal Liberal candidate in Newmarket — Aurora, announced Monday that she will be relinquishing the nomination, and that she would be seeking her sixth term as mayor next year.

She said she reached the decision a couple of weeks ago, but waited until the party hierarchy knew about it before making a public announcement.

Black said she actually reached the decision after the Nov. 30 council meeting.

“I realized after that meeting that I have become the advocate for King and am needed in that role,” she commented. “My passion is for local government where I can make a real difference in the quality of life of our residents. As a municipality, we have spent years in crafting our community plans and our design guidelines, and I want to ensure that the future of King Township is protected in the way we as a council and community had envisaged. At the same time, I am dedicated to continue to work with our upper levels of government on the broader political issues such as funding, hospitals, traffic, social matters including our seniors.”

“It’s quite simply, after reflection, my heart’s in King,” she remarked, adding she believes she can accomplish more of the things that are important to her from the mayor’s

Black said she wasn’t sure if she would have enjoyed sitting in the House of Commons, although she asserted that she thinks she belongs here.

She did get to Ottawa a couple of times over the last couple of months, and those trips gave her chances for reflection.

“I think the life in Ottawa is a rather rough life,” she observed.

“My roots are here,” she added. “My passion for politics is here.”

She also said there were some attempts among party officials to talk her into staying in the race.

She added she has not heard from party leader Michael Ignatieff directly regarding her decision.

Black said she believes her chances of being re-elected mayor next year are good.

She also doesn’t plan to lament for what might have been.

“I never look back, never!” she asserted. “I never look back. I only look forward.”

Lois Brown was not going to lose that Riding to anyone not named Stronach.

well i don't disagree with that , whats surprising is that the liberal would just give up the nomination as Newmarket Aurora is a riding near toronto and where the liberals won at times and have been the second place party( well ahead of the ndp ) at very least when they lost . it all indicates she didn't think her chances were very good or that an election is still a long ways off and some of these candidates don't want to sit around and wait .

Lois Brown was not going to lose that Riding to anyone not named Stronach.

well i don't disagree with that , whats surprising is that the liberal would just give up the nomination as Newmarket Aurora is a riding near toronto and where the liberals won at times and have been the second place party( well ahead of the ndp ) at very least when they lost . it all indicates she didn't think her chances were very good or that an election is still a long ways off and some of these candidates don't want to sit around and wait .

I think there are a lot of factors,
1) When did she win the nomination?
Was it when Iggy was thumping his chest and screaming election election election?

2) To be employed or not to be employed
The Liberals powerbase in Ontario is now not just melting away to the Conservatives, but also to the NDP, so the question becomes do you stay unemployed for a year or six months or till whenever the election hammer is dropped and then end up walking away with nothing? or do you opt for a job you can actually get right now.

I think a lot of "good" candidates have to be weighing the likelihood of being elected, vs putting whatever skills makes them a "good" candidate to use in the private sector.

2010 is the municipal election cycle year in Ontario. Ms. Black could have held on to her Mayor's job and still run for the House in 2009. But once it got closer to municpal election day she would have lost credibility running for one job while keeping options open for the other.

Another factor to consider is that electoral boundary redistribution is now on the horizon again. The last one was done in 2003 leading up to the 2004 election. Candidates nominated in existing ridings will have to be renominated in new ridings even if changes are minor.

Mayor Black's King City is actually in Oakridges-Markham, an unwoeldy riding narrowly won last time the CPC's Paul Calandra. That riding should be and liekly will be reconfigured. Mr. Calandra would likely want to run in a Stouffeville centred riding. Ms. Black would then be free to re-enter the fray in a King City centred riding when and if Liberla fortunes improve - an unliekly prospect in the immediate future.

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